Home
by FreddysNightmare1984
Summary: Joker finally returns home from the war to his parents and his best friend Marcie. but just how much has the war affected him? horrific nightmares, troubling therapy secessions, and falling for his best friend are just a few of the situations Joker has to come to terms with while trying to fit back into society. eventual Joker/OC
1. The arrival

**ARGH, _WHY_ DID THIS IDEA HAVE TO POP BACK INTO MY HEAD?! as if I didn't have enough stories to keep up with already! but anywho, I've had this idea in my head for a LONG time, ever since I fell in love with Full Metal Jacket a few years back. I have no idea what it is about that movie, but I just love it. especially Joker and Animal Mother, those guys rock. Animal Mother used to actually annoy the fudge out of me, but now I think he's great! and so this story is finally being started, even though I know I really need to update some of my other fanfics. not to worry, I'll be updating a couple of them very shortly, this one included, if I get any reviews.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Full Metal Jacket or any of the characters. I only own my OC, Marcie**

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"Joker? hey, Joker!"

the blonde was pulled from his thoughts by the soldier beside him, nudging his shoulder. "hey man, we're here... I can see the landing strip"

Joker turned to look out the window. his heart was beating fast when he saw the large crowd of people that had gathered at the airport. families there, ready to recieve their brothers, sons, cousins, husbands, and lovers, home from war after almost two years. Joker wasn't sure who all would be there to see him home. his parents, he knew for sure, were there. and Marcie, of course. Marcie Donaldson, his best friend. they'd known each other since 5th grade, and she'd been very supportive of his decision to go into combat. his thoughts drifted to the day he told her the news. he was set to leave in two weeks...

_"Marce?"_

_"yeah? what's up, Jim?"_

_Joker sat at the booth at the local coffee shop, his best friend Marcie sitting across from him. she pushed her glasses up farther on her nose, eyeing her friend. "Jim, what is it?"_

_Joker hesitated. "I... I need to tell you something... something important"_

_"yeah, I know. that's what you said on the phone" Marcie laughed a bit. "now what is it?"_

_"well, I..." Joker hesitated, drumming his fingers nervously on the tabletop. "I'm goin' to war, Marce... I'm leavin' in two weeks for Parris Island"_

_Marcie was quiet, her expression unreadable as they sat at the booth. Joker chewed his lower lip nervously. "Marcie, say something..."_

_"what do you want me to say, Jim?" she asked quietly, looking up from her cup of coffee, looking him right in the eye. "'no, don't go, it's too dangerous?' you know I could never say that to you..." she reached over and placed her hand over his. "it's your decision, Jim. and if you really want to do this... then I can't stop you. I wouldn't ever try to, either"_

_Joker blinked. "you mean... you're okay with this?"_

_"of course I'm not okay with it" Marcie shrugged. "but you gotta do what you gotta do, Jim. and if you feel that this is something you have to do... then I'm here for you" _

_Joker smiled a little. "thanks, Marce. that means a lot"_

_"hey, that's what best friends are for, right?"_

"Joker! hey, we're here"

the soldier's voice tore Joker from his thoughts. the helicopter had just landed, and the other soldiers were eagerly grabbing their bags and exiting the aircraft. Joker took a deep breath before he slowly stood, waiting until most of the other soldiers had already left. he leaned up into the overhead bin, pulling down his olive green duffel bag, slinging it over his shoulder as he slowly began to exit the helicopter. he scanned the crowd, watching as the other soldiers were greeted by friends and family.

"Jim!"

a familiar voice made Joker smile slightly.

"Jim! Jim, over here!"

Joker looked to the left slightly, his mother and father standing near the front of the crowd. and beside them, the girl with the long, slightly curly brunette hair and the black glasses, who was smiling brightly at Joker. she broke from the crowd and ran toward him. Joker laughed a little, holding his arm out as she got to him. she laughed, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tighltly. "Jim! oh Jim, we've missed you!" she said as he wrapped his arm around her, hugging back.

"I've missed you too, Marcie!" Joker said, his voice thick with emotion. they hugged for a few more seconds before he lightly nudged her back. "let me have a look at you"

Marcie laughed. "oh, I haven't changed much, Jimmy boy"

"I can see" Joker smirked, linking his arm with hers as they approached his parents. they eagerly pulled the two into a hug, tearfully welcoming their son home.

"we're going out for dinner to celebrate your return home" Mr. Davis said, smiling.

"yeah, we're gonna really pig out, tonight!" Marcie said, laughing. she was obviously very excited to have her best friend back home.

"sounds good" Joker said, his arm still linked with Marcie's as the four made their way through the airport toward the check out. in a way, Joker was kind of glad to be home again with his parents and Marcie. but he knew that part of him would forever remain in Vietnam.

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**well, what do you think of the first chapter? next one should be coming soon if laziness has mercy on me and doesn't take over, lolz. oh, and before I forget to mention, I have only seen Full Metal Jacket, I haven't read the book it's based on or it's sequel. so this story goes strictly by info from the movie. so if I'm leaving anything out, or if there's something you think I should add that's from the books, PLEASE don't hesitate to let me know. thanks, and don't forget to review!**

**-FreddysNightmare1984**


	2. Flashback

**wow, another update already! I didn't really want to update this until I got some reviews, but the plot seems to be in overdrive in my mind, so I typed this out a little earlier today. I'm really hoping that this story gets going and keeps moving at the pace that it is. I hate that this is so short, but I'm going to try and make a real effort to make future chapters longer then this. I hope you enjoy! oh, and this chapter has a bit of strong language in it, so YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**

******DISCLAIMER: I do not own Full Metal Jacket or any of the characters. I only own my OC, Marcie**

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Joker was quiet all throughout dinner. his parents seemed content with that and just chatted among themselves. Marcie, however, felt that something was bothering her friend. "Jim? what's up?"

"hmm?" Joker turned to her, smiling a little. "oh, nothin', Marce" truth be told, he was thinking about Cowboy again. not a day went by that he didn't think about his fallen comrade. his friend.

_it seemed to happen in slow motion as Cowboy's face contorted in pain, the bullet from the sniper's rifle going right through his chest._

_"Cowboy!"_

_"holy shit!"_

_"get him the fuck outta here!"_

_gunfire ensued as Joker and the remaining members of the Lusthog squad picked Cowboy up and took him around to the other side of the building they were taking cover by._

_"I don't believe this shit!" Cowboy moaned, obviously in a great deal of pain._

_"shut up!"_

_"oh, that son of a bitch!" Cowboy cried. _

_Joker didn't know what he could do other then to hold his friend, feeling more hopeless then he'd ever felt before in his life. "Cowboy"_

_"hang on, man. hang on!" another solider pleaded._

_"I... I can hack it!" Cowboy gasped, desperately trying to hang on to the last bit of fight left in him. "I can hack it..." _

_Joker felt tears in his eyes as his friend spit up some blood, staining the sleeve of his uniform._

_"I-I can hack it..."_

_and as Joker held his friend, and as he knew he was gone and that there was nothing he could do, he wished more then anything that he were dead._

"Jim?"

Joker jumped, turning to see Marcie still sitting beside him, her hand on his arm. "Jim... are you okay?"

by then, his parents were looking at him too, looks of concern on their faces. "I-I'm sorry..." Joker swallowed, standing abruptly. "I-I need some air" and he turned and hurried outside before Marcie or his parents could say anything. he felt tears welling up in his eyes as that horrifying memory repeated over and over in his mind.

"Jim?"

he turned to see Marcie standing behind him. she frowned, concerned about her best friend. "something's bothering you"

Joker could only nod.

Marcie hesitated, stepping closer to him. "is it... a memory?"

another nod.

"something... bad?"

"yeah" Joker managed to choke out.

Marcie sighed, walking over and pulling him into a hug. Joker just hugged back tightly, swallowing.

"let it out, Jim" Marcie said quietly.

"h-he was my friend..." Joker stammered, sniffing as tears fell down his cheeks. "he was m-my _best friend _over there... a-and I watched him _die_, Marce!"

"hey, hey, it's okay" Marcie said, feeling like she might start crying herself. her parents had told her, they'd _been_ telling her that the Jim she knew would most likely come back to the States a different man. she couldn't even begin to imagine the horrible, unthinkable things that her best friend had witnessed. "I'm here for you... always will be" she said quietly.

Joker nodded against her shoulder. "yeah, I know"

they stood there for several minutes, just hugging each other. and even though Joker knew that Marcie would never fully understand his turmoil, he appreciated her friendship then more then ever before. he knew that, no matter what, she would always be there for him.

and that gave him a little bit of comfort.

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**man, I feel kinda bad writing this, but hey, stuff like that really happened, and I'm forever grateful to all the people who fought in the wars of the past and present. my own father was a combat medic in Vietnam, and so that's one reason why I think Full Metal Jacket means so much to me, because I can witness something similar to what my own father went through, and can appreciate even more the brave fight that the soldiers fought (and are still fighting). never forget, people. never forget. thanks for reading, and I'm hoping to update this again shortly.**

**-FreddysNightmare1984**


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